A West Country mother-of-two, whose mum is being treated for cancer, is fronting a new TV campaign for Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life 2017.

Kate Todd, 35, stars in a series of highly charged adverts and online videos in support of the charity’s ‘This is beating cancer’ campaign.

Featuring real footage from Race for Life events, the inspiring series of films provides a compelling call to sign up now by highlighting the real difference women can make in the fight against the disease.

The message is clear – whether women run, jog or walk around the course – every step and every penny raised counts.

Women of all shapes and sizes are being called on to raise money for life-saving research by entering the Taunton and Weston Super Mare Race for Life events this summer.

Kate and her family understand all too well the vital role Race for Life participants play in helping to fund new discoveries and breakthroughs in cancer research.

Her personal motivation for signing up is her courageous mum Julie, 59, who is suffering from ovarian cancer.

Kate was just 18 years old when her mum was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1999, after suffering from stomach pains.

Doctors recommended a hysterectomy, but during the procedure they discovered a tumour the size of a large grapefruit. Julie was successfully treated with surgery and chemotherapy and married partner Clive just six weeks after being diagnosed.

Kate Todd and her mum Julie, who has ovarian cancer

She remained cancer free for the next three years, but the disease returned in 2002. Julie was told she has a form of cancer, which means cancer cells will very slowly form into an eventual tumour over time.

This means the cancer doesn’t ever go away and she has to be monitored to see if another tumour has developed.

As a result, Julie has undergone 150 chemotherapy infusions as well as three bouts of oral chemotherapy and one course of radiotherapy since her initial diagnosis.

Kate said: “I believe it’s thanks to research that mum is still with us today. I took part in Race for Life Pretty Muddy in Plymouth last year in tribute to her, but all four of the friends I was with had also been affected by cancer in some way. It was my first Race for Life and I just found the whole experience really amazing but quite emotional too.

“Normally I can talk about mum’s cancer without getting over emotional or upset but the impact of this disease really hit me during the minute’s silence at the start of the event. I realised just how many people have been affected by cancer and lost loved ones to it. The tears started to flow then.”

She added: “At one point Mum felt so poorly she told us she couldn’t go through chemotherapy any more. But thank goodness we all got together as a family and persuaded her it was worth it.

“I’m so glad we did because since then Mum has lived to see the arrival of her six grandchildren. She has walked on the Great Wall of China. Last year, her and Clive flew to Australia to visit my stepsister, Claire. She has a very busy and full life.”

Julie’s grandchildren include Kate’s boys Jack, 11 and Harry, seven.

She started another cycle of oral chemotherapy a few weeks before Christmas, and has lost her hair once again but is still planning her 60 birthday celebrations for all the family at Centre Parcs, at Longleat.

Kate added: “I really wanted to take part in Race for Life because I know that research and treatment really do make a difference. All those years ago when mum was ready to give up she wouldn’t have known that she would carry on to live a happy, busy life and to achieve so many wonderful things.

“Now, I hope as many women as possible are inspired to sign up for Race for Life and help more families, like mine, spend more precious moments together.”

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring women-only series of 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Marathon and Hike events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer sooner.

Race for Life

Race for Life events are not competitive and women of all ages and abilities are needed to take part.

Ruth Chamings, Race For Life Event Manager, said: “We are so grateful to Kate and her family for their support.

“Every day, around 90 people are diagnosed with cancer in the South West.* It is life-changing for them, for their family and friends and for everyone who cares about them.

“But we know how to fight back. Life-saving research is being funded right now thanks to Race for Life participants.

“We want women to watch the adverts and see how fun our events are but know that we’re not messing about. We really are beating cancer.

“Just £10 could make a difference in the fight against the disease. So we’re urging as many women as possible to sign up now and raise what they can.

“There are hundreds of cancers. By taking part in Race for Life, women in the South West could help us find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat them.”